Rihanna stepped out into the open for the first time after she was allegedly beaten up by her boyfriend, Chris Brown, issuing a statement of thanks to all her fans.

“At the request of the authorities, Rihanna is not commenting about the incident involving Chris Brown,” says the statement from her rep on Friday. “She wants to assure her fans that she remains strong, is doing well, and deeply appreciates the outpouring of support she has received during this difficult time.”

The statement was made public on her 21st birthday and a day after she was first noticed in Los Angeles after nearly two weeks of shying away from the public eye. It also comes after TMZ posted a picture of a beaten up Rihanna in what is supposedly a photo taken by the Los Angeles Police Department shortly after the violent incident on Feb 8th. The picture came as  a real shocker and tremendously disturbing.

Neither Rihanna nor her representatives had commented on the incident that took place between Rihanna and R&B singer Chris Brown. Brown was arrested on Feb 8th.

Friends in Rihanna’s native Barbados marked her birthday by posting out an ad in the local newspaper wishing her a happy 21st, “amidst all the negativity about Ri Ri. God will continue to bless her.”

“I just really love that girl,” said Sharon Thompson, who bought the birthday greeting. ” Some nights I cry because of what I’m hearing. It has me deeply hurt. She’s just so lovely.”

Related Posts

• “Move on,” says Rihanna’s dad
• Brown is only human
• Rihanna’s Father and Mentor Speak Out
• Rihanna – Bikini Candids in Barbados
• Rihanna To Testify Against Brown
• Would You Vote for Chris Brown on Nickelodeon? Parents Won’t.
• Rihanna Can Record Calls She Receives from Chris Brown
• Rihanna and Chris back together
• Chris Brown and Rihanna Reunites; Brown seen Jetskiing and Partying
• Rihanna Cancels 21st Birthday Bash